One question that listeners and media repeatedly raised following the release of Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo was, “who’s that guy who sounds almost exactly like Future?” The rapper in question turned out to be Desiigner, a Brooklyn native and recent G.O.O.D. Music signee who appeared twice on TLOP.

His first appearance ended up being the most notable, as he followed a Metro Boomin-produced song on “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2.” However, his part was not only a separate track from Young Metro’s but also a remixed version of an original he already cut called “Panda.” The song’s producer revealed himself to be a 22-year-old named Menace who originally sold the beat to Desiigner for $200.

He claims he made the beat in two hours, and elaborated on how the track ended up on Kanye’s latest LP.

Did Kanye’s camp reach out to you?

My manager was taking care of it. It was a last-minute thing—like a couple of days ago. We hadn’t really talked about it. I gave G.O.O.D. Music all the tracked outs—the individual sounds of the beat. It took two to three days. Kanye West made it his vision that he wanted it on his album.

It should have been a bit longer. If they made it three or four minutes long, it’d be better. Kanye could’ve used less Auto-Tune. He’d sound much better. When he goes to the high notes, you could really hear it. But it’s dope regardless.

It sounds like Menace is happier with Kanye’s involvement in his track than Young Chop was with his, but only time will tell if the young producer becomes an integral staple to Desiigner’s – and perhaps G.O.O.D.’s – trajectory or simply another footnote in Kanye’s credits list.

Safe money is on the latter than the former given how that Chop is such an alarmingly close situation ….but that Desiigner guy (who would be Chief in this extended analogy (even has the hit viral hit single to boot)) they say imitation is the highest form of flattery (you know damn well Future will address this on the next tape he drops) but rarely does it work out for guys who sound like biggest rappers of the time (Jay, Big, Pac (although given that DMX and Ja were considered heavy bitters of his style), Drake just to name few can attest to this)….

This article also speaks to idea of Ye vulturing the popular sounds of the moment and incorporating it his aesthetics to stay current and forward looking (although TLOP is the first album in his career that is in the moment and finally looks back to his back catalog to create the album’s musical landscape)…

Look…I could never plead ignorance in regarding people believing DMX is reminiscent to Pac but DMX sounded nothing like the man at all….Dmx had his own thing (although didn’t K-Solo accuse him of biting his style?)